1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a diagnostic device, a diagnostic system, a diagnostic method, a program and a medium that, depending on the usage history of an image forming apparatus that a user uses, can diagnose the optimum image forming apparatus and/or optional devices and provide the diagnostic results to the user.
2. Description of Related Art
There are systems that can detect the degree of consumption of toner within a toner cartridge used in an image forming apparatus and display on a display section provided on the main body of the image forming apparatus an instruction to replace the toner cartridge when the amount of the toner left falls below a predetermined value.
There are also systems proposed in which a signal instructing a purchase order for a new toner cartridge is send via telephone lines when the toner runs low, thereby requesting a purchase to an information processing apparatus installed at the dealer.
Furthermore, there are systems proposed in which a device such as a counter is installed on a toner cartridge or the main body of the image forming apparatus, and for example, the number of pages printed is counted by the counter, and a determination is made when the count value reaches a certain value that the toner cartridge or the image forming apparatus has reached the end of its life, and a warning is provided.
However, there has not been any systems among prior art that makes an effective use of operational history information, such as cumulative print volume of image forming apparatuses, in spite of the fact that there have been prior art that, for example, automatically place an order for a new toner when the toner runs low, or that notify the user of the image forming apparatus' or any part of the image forming apparatus' reaching the end of its life.
In the meantime, when the printer main body itself reaches the end of its life or becomes obsolete and the user is ready to replace it with a new model, the user must access web sites operated by dealers or send for a catalog from dealers and select by himself or herself the product that appears to be most suitable based on the past usage as he or she compares various product specifications, which is a very time-consuming and onerous process. In addition, this process still entails the possibility that the user would select a product that is not suitable for the user's usage frequency.
Furthermore, even when a serviceperson is called to consult about the purchase of a new image forming apparatus, since the serviceperson in fact is in the habit of suggesting an image forming apparatus that appears to fit the customer's wishes based on the serviceperson's own experience, this process is equally onerous as the process in which the customer researches by himself or herself, and still there is no guarantee that the serviceperson would be able to recommend an appropriate product.